This invention is concerned with thiocyanatoquinoxaline derivatives that are useful as immunomodulating agents. More particularly this invention is concerned with compounds of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen, methyl, or 5-thiocyanato-2-furanyl; R.sub.1 is hydrogen, methyl, or 2-furanyl; or R and R.sub.1 taken together completes a cyclohexyl ring.
An immunomodulating agent is a substance which regulates or otherwise affects the immune response of a host. Compounds having such capability are useful as drugs for mitigating the immunological incompetence of a host body oftentimes encountered as an undesired side effect of cancer chemotherapy involving antineoplastic agents. Such depressed immune response lessens the protective function of the immune system permitting the invasion of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and other parasites which otherwise could be resisted by the host.
Accordingly, there is a need to protect host that are being subjected to chemotherapy from the effects of having their immune system suppressed from such chemotherapy in order to avoid systemic infections which could be fatal.
It is an object of this invention to provide compounds which are useful as immunomodulating agents.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of alleviating the immunosuppressant activity of cancer chemotherapy.